DIGESTIBILITY BY SHEEP OF DIRECT CUT ALFALFA SILAGE MADE WITH OZONATED COTTON STALKS

Alfalfa was ensiled either by conventional wilting (WA) or as a mixtur e with 20% (DM) ozonated cotton stalks (A + OCS), and the digestibilit y of the silage carbohydrate constituents was examined in sheep, The W A silage had a lower content of glucose, xylose, and total carbohydrat es and a slightly higher content of arabinose, galactose and mannose t han the Af OCS silage. Stomachs and whole tract carbohydrate digestibi lity was 52% and 63%, respectively, in both silages. Digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) glucose and xylose was slightly higher a nd that of NDF-arabinose, galactose and mannose slightly lower, in the sheep fed A + OCS vs. those fed WA. Digestibility of total NDF monosa ccharide components in WA and A + OCS silages were 55% and 57%, respec tively, of which 90% were digested in the fore-stomachs. In both silag es, NDF-glucose was more digestible than NDF-xylose and NDF-uronic aci d, and less digestible than NDF-arabinose and NDF-mannose. Results of this study indicate that a direct-cut and ensiled alfalfa silage made with 20% (DM) OCS is comparable with WA in its potential to supply rum inants with digestible carbohydrates. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.